Butterflies
by 0ri
Summary: She broke their butterfly kiss, moving back, tipping her head downwards so he couldn’t see the tears glistening in her eyes. [Hokuto x Seishirou]


A/N: This took WAY longer then I expected it to take. I was expecting it to get done in two days. School got in the way.

Yeah, this is Hokuto x Seishirou, not a pairing you see often, most people I expect have never seen it. I really like the idea of the pairing though. It's unfortunate that it's not popular.

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Butterflies

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Two figures smashed together on a wide bed, like two boats clashing together on a black sea. The bed was dressed with silk navy sheets that rolled up with wrinkles and was left spangled in the partial, gloomy light; cloth curling at their every haste motion, rippling. Not one precious second could be spared in idle time. It was raining in Tokyo, and droplets of it ran along the uncovered windows, loud wet marbles that made the outside world of the industrialized city a blur; a mosaic painting of grey and dull blue. The larger of the two figures pressed the smaller down onto the bed, hovering, shielding her with his body, and running urgent fingers along her sides, over the contours of her chest, causing little breathless gasps escape from the teenager's throat. _Definitely noisy_. The man grinned as he tipped that head backwards, and it yielded in complete compliance to his every ruthless caress; exposing the small, dainty throat that was truly esthetical in its effeminateness. He kissed it, feeling the tiny figure shudder beneath him, again and again, as he nipped playfully and then suckled, leaving red marks on that creamy skin, _staining_ it, destroying any purity that might have been there.

And then he fumbled in-between their bodies - and the female moaned from the loss of contact; yet he was quick to undo her less-than-ridiculous-than-usual outfit, which consisted of far too many buttons, and they had too little time to be wasting precious seconds on worthless things such as _buttons_. His dire fingers were careless of the cloth, only seeking the body beneath, that heat, that desire; and some of the buttons ripped from their careful seaming, scattering and disappearing in the blankets like captured fish escaping back into the sea - but the female didn't seem to care in the least, only wanting to hurry, _please hurry_, before she would implode from the adamant force that was her lust. He spread the cloth of the small dress apart like the short black wings of a feminine bird, stripping the skin to exposure. Sharp clavicles and a heaving chest, flat stomach, and small breasts shielded by a red bra were the only things he saw. And then hesitant green eyes were looking up at him, the body leaning towards him, the face framed in a crown of black hair, partially veiled by stands dangling in front of that lovely, pale face - and he almost mistook the expression for someone quite similar. But then that mischievousness was back, that devilish smile, and the female leant backwards on her back once more, laying herself out to his whimsies.

Seishirou smirked, and Hokuto smirked right back.

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"You should quit smoking." Hokuto said after their 'activities' were through. They still had time before Subaru was done with his job.

Seishirou half-glanced at the girl still sprawled on his bed; clearly undressed; but half of her anatomy was hidden beneath midnight blue fabric. It was still a tempting sight to see her perky breasts unclothed, her skin glimmering with the last residue of sweat. They were both tired, too tired to look around for clothing and get dressed. For now they could pretend the world only consisted of sex, and thus it only consisted of bliss in which both of them were blind to anything but _pleasure. _Outside it continued to rain, bleak oil paints smearing across the closed windows with each splash of water, and the sky was the color of the highway streets, and hinting at darkening.

Seishirou didn't reply, and continued to smoke, feeling that utter relaxation and satisfaction that came in the aftermath of sex; that warmth that washed over him and infected his entire body with drowsy heat. His body yearned for sleep, but his mind did not, and thus he remained awake while watching the clouds blacken in the outside world.

He finished his cigarette, exhaled a lazy breath of smoke, and snuffed the bud out in an ashtray on the bedside table.

He then fell back onto his back, repositioned himself so his head was lying on the pillows instead of near Hokuto's stomach, and stared up at the white ceiling, and at the whirling, cheap plastic fan.

"Sei-chan," Hokuto suddenly sat up, and she was looking over Seishirou, her face in a rare display of seriousness. But then it broke, and she burst into a smile. "Why do you wear those silly glasses!" She flicked his nose, and he blinked. "You're such a _dork_, Sei-chan! Look how handsome you are! You could _swoon_ Subaru with your looks alone! And _man_! You can kiss so well!" She went on, "Do you need them? I don't even think you need them."

Seishirou shook his head, brought his arms behind his neck, and grinned up at Hokuto. "At least you find me sexy."

Hokuto frowned. "Don't be so pessimistic!"

A darkness came over Seishirou's face, and a smirk slid across his face, jack-o-latern like and cruel. Empathetic. "_Why _do you torture yourself so, hm, Hokuto-chan?" And Seishirou leant up to become more level with the girl, Hokuto's eyes losing their sparkle and becoming growing inwardly focused as soon as he did – two emeralds that weren't shining. Seishirou touched her delicate face, tilting his head forward so their foreheads pressed together, and their noses nuzzled each other. Seishiou closed his eyes, and trailed his hands down to the naked shoulders, and then he was shaping over the curve of the breasts to the waist, wrapping arms around her and pulling her close, naked chests pressed together; embracing her in what might have been considered 'amorous' by some.

"_Seishirou_," She said, voice edged with pain, using his full name for once. Seishirou felt it when she turned her face from him, and he merely nuzzled her check with his nose and touched the corner of her mouth to his lips. They both knew well that he was stronger, magically, physically and mentally, and if he wished it, she would not escape. "Stop. Please. You know I…"

"You can't bear it if I touch you on my own jurisdiction," He murmured against her face, tilting his head to the side so he could brush over her ear. She trembled. "So why do you come here? Why do you continue to torture yourself, and on your own accord? Why do we hide this from dear little Subaru-kun? Do you think he has a _chance_?" Seishirou's laugh was dry of any humor, and it was profound, feline-like. Hokuto's eyes welled with tears but she refused to cry, both because what he was saying was true and because it felt _so_ wonderful to be held in his arms, both of them unbidden by cloth – and to feel his body shake as he laughed.

She shook her head, closing her eyes, her mouth twitching into a smile. "How can anyone _not _love Subaru?"

"You realize he's loosing as of now."

Hokuto squirmed in Seishirou's grip – Seishirou let her go, not because she wanted to be released, but because he didn't have the will or desire to continue holding her.

She jerked her face to his, eyes narrowed and harsh, an expression of anger, despair, confusion that Seishirou would have marveled to see on another twin's face.

"And _me_?" Hokuto snapped. "What am _I_ to you, _Sakurazukamori_?"

Seishirou smiled pleasantly, though it wasn't really all that pleasant. "Hokuto-chan," He drew up his hands again, gliding them up her arms and to her thin neck, around her chin to her jaw, until he was covering her cheeks with his palms, and his fingers – fingers that should have belonged on a musician – were twirling the tendrils of her hair as if each strand was a ballerina in which he could play with. Hokuto let her eyelids close, appearing relaxed and peaceful, but inwardly she was in hell, wondering if Seishirou would snap and simply break her neck. He didn't even need magic to kill her, her martial arts training would do nothing against him; like a piece of tissue paper trying to fight against a blade. Nothing. "You know as well as I do that I care_ nothing_ for you. I could crush your pretty face right between my hands, this instant, and I wouldn't care. I _might _even do it, just because," Hokuto held her breath, "I'd like to have an idea what Subaru-kun's beautiful face would look like, demented and coated in red… No." Seishirou went back to stroking her face with his thumb after a pause of contemplation. "Sakura would suit Subaru-kun better…"

"I-I… I have hope, Seishirou." Hokuto murmured brokenly. She knew she was crying and she knew Seishirou was still smiling at her, mocking and arrogant and beautiful. He brushed her tears away as they fled her, a gesture that did nothing but signify how little he cared. "I-I… I have faith. This bet isn't over. My brother will _win_. He will. _You just wait_," Goosebumps went up her spine when Seishirou touched her chest to seek out her heartbeat, while the other hand remained at her face, petting her as if she were some pretty glass ornament.

"Are you so sure?" Seishirou purred.

Hokuto opened her eyes slowly, at first nervously, watching Seishirou as time suspended – two dark almond eyes held her regard. Seishirou really _was _handsome; his eyes were fathomless, dark debts that held anyone who looked at them captive. The eyes of a hunter. His hair was black, very distinctively Japanese and was well taken care of, groomed to a silken wave – Hokuto loved how it looked after they had sex; slightly ruffled because of her own eager fingers. It made Seishirou look somehow dirty, imperfect - almost human.

But he _was_ human, and thatwas what hurt so much, it hurt so much that he had every opportunity to be human and yet he was so _numb_ and _blind_ – he was numb. Trapped inside his own mind, too prideful to even admit to it. His spirit was caged, and Hokuto yearned for her brother to be the one to break that cage.

"Subaru-kun should be done with his job right about now," Seishirou announced as he looked at the time on his Rolex watch.

"EEK! Are we going to be late?!" Hokuto exploded, scurrying off the bed and rummaging around the sheets for her clothes. Still naked, she held up her blouse. "_SEISHIROU_! Look what you did to the _buttons_!"

"I could not bear to see your perfect body clothed for much longer." He answered simply, simpering.

"What am I going to dooooo?!" Hokuto wailed, hugging the blouse to her chest, sniffling.

"Well, at least you look better that way." The look Hokuto gave him made Seishirou smile. It was almost real, close to real as it could get when Seishirou was caught up in Hokuto's jovial antics.

Seishirou then laughed, and Hokuto fumed. "It's NOT funny!" She snapped, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"You forget Hokuto-chan, a similar occurrence happened last week and you decided to leave some extra clothes here for good measure."

"Did I?!" She asked, eyes widening with realization. "Oh yeah! Yay! Where is it?"

"I forgot."

"_Seishirou! _Tell me!"

"Hmmm… no." Seishirou pulled up his shorts as he said this, and then stretched out his arms in an almost feline-like way, his body lean and taunt as he flexed, and he sighed in content when he put his arms back down at his sides. Hokuto ignored the part of her mind that wanted to get back into bed with him, and instead continued to fume as she scooped up her panties from the floor hopped into them.

Seishirou leaned down on the other side of the bed and picked up his pants from somewhere on the floor.

"Tell me!"

"No."

"Tell me!"

"No."

"Tell me!"

Seishirou smiled. "You're wasting time by arguing." He then looked rather fixedly at her chest. Hokuto blushed and crossed her arms, covering herself, frowning in disproval. She looked around for her bra – turned around for just a second – and when she looked back Seishirou was stretching the strap of it, and had a quizzical look upon his features. He fiddled with the back of it, where the adjustment hooks were to change the size. "…How does this contraption work?"

"Seishirou! We're late as it is! Give it!"

Seishirou continued to play with the adjustment. He frowned. Hokuto was a little high-strung and maybe a little promiscuous right now, but she couldn't help but smile as the undergarment made him more confused.

Eventually she gave up on asking nicely (well, _demanding_ nicely) and swiped the bra out of his grip and put it on.

"Now," She asked, hands on her hips, briefly feeling like she was a mother scolding a child. "Where are the clothes?"

"In the laundry room, dear," Seishirou answered as he slid the ribbon of his tie around his neck and fixed it into a knot. Hokuto momentarily wished she could have done that for him, but – no time – she fled out of the room in search of her clothes.

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"It's raining cats and dogs," Hokuto said as she pressed her hands up against the glass of the car window, lethargic green eyes peering up at a bleak skyline and at the monstrous buildings of Tokyo; made grey and murky in the gloomy light. On the sidewalks people hurried along in the sopping rain, after all, even in such gloom – in such wet and sodden misery - there were places to go, things to do. Life went on. Hokuto sighed, and curled up in the leather seat, her hands clammy and cold from the residue of water on the window. She knotted her fingers together, palms sliding against each other, and a painful knot twisted somewhere in her stomach from the fact she was sitting besides Sakurazuka Seishirou, the _Sakurazukamori_, and being in his presence always grated on her nerves. Either she was afraid, aroused, or nostalgic.

"That an American expression?" Seishirou asked nonchalantly.

Hokuto was startled out of her stupor, and as quickly as she was startled she calmed. "No idea," She answered with a shrug, and curled up more in the passenger's seat. However, she avoided putting her feet up on the leather because this was Seishirou's car and she didn't want to make it dirty with her muddy shoes.

The car ride went on in silence, only occasionally broken when Hokuto told Seishirou what road to take, where to turn. The Sumeragi wished Seishirou would put on the radio or something,_ anything _to break the silence. Anything but talking, that was.

Suddenly Hokuto noticed that the car wasn't moving as it fast as it should have. She awakened from her drowsy world and turned to Seishirou. Seishirou glanced at her, and pointed onward, through the front window and onto the street.

"Traffic jam. I think I can see sirens…" Seishirou let his hand drop to his side, and sighed.

Hokuto stared at the blockade of cars, and jerked her head around, noticing then they were stuck between two giant trucks. She leant up on her seat, feeling the seat belt dig into her chest as she tried to get a better look. Something cold dropped into her stomach, and she wailed,

"Oh no! Subaru's going to be all alone out there! In the _rain_ too!"

"There's nothing we can do except wait." Seishirou said. "I'm pretty sure I can see sirens…" He rolled down his window, and Hokuto shuddered when a blast of cold air and water swept into the vehicle, but the Sakurazukamori didn't even blink. He took off his glasses and laid them on the dashboard before poking his head out the window. He was then removing his seat belt to achieve more vantage, leaning more fully, and Hokuto was already shivering from the exposure. Bad enough it was raining, but it was _freezing_ too. She could see Seishirou's black hair was already dripping and becoming thinner from the large droplets of water.

"Seishirou, get back in here!" She snapped, oddly clingy and worried, feeling more and more miserable about their activities as she thought of her brother; sitting on a bench all by himself, trying to shield himself from the weather with his top hat as his thin body shook with small spasms from the chill of the water, as the rain soaked right through his clothing and made the fabric stick to his frame while the icy coldness penetrated his skin like a thin sheet of ice. It made Hokuto feel like screaming. Call her overprotective, but this was Subaru, and he was _bound_ to get sick or get hurt or be in pain or… "Seishirou!"

Seishirou finally complied, but certainly not because Hokuto had willed him to. "There's an ambulance. I think there was a collision at the intersection. Reckless fools." Seishirou began to roll up the window as Hokuto flailed.

"What about my brother?!"

"Hokuto-chan, we're stuck between two trucks, we're in the middle of the highway, with no available places to turn – even if there were places to turn, this is the only way to that woman's house that you know of, is that correct?" Hokuto nodded, eyes gleaming with pain. Seishirou put his glasses back on with one hand. "There's nothing we can do except have patience. Don't worry so much, Subaru-kun will survive."

Hokuto sniffled away oncoming tears. "Fine." She crossed her arms defiantly and curled up again on the seat, pressing her cheek to the icy window, her mood falling steadily as the sky grew darker and blackness filtered into the vehicle. The street was mainly comprised of apartment buildings, so there weren't a lot of billboards and signs - this increased the darkness and then the brilliance of the yellow car lights: blaring and blinding in the stark blackness. Hokuto watched the window wipers swipe water away back and forth in a hypnotic rhythm, though her mind was elsewhere. She continuously looked at the clock on the dashboard. Neither the Sakurazuka nor the Sumeragi endeavored in conversation. Hokuto chose to focus more on the clock and on the window wipers then on Seishirou's profile, because watching him made her want to reach out and touch him; for comfort, for love, or perhaps just to see if he was really there, if he really existed. Hokuto shut her eyes tightly, readjusting and refocusing in the poor light, staring at the neon green numbers. 5 minutes. 10 minutes. 15 minutes. Seishirou's car was moving painstakingly slowly, practically centimeter by centimeter, and it took twenty minutes of this miserable process before Hokuto could finally see the ambulance Seishirou had seen.

Her eyes widened at the absolute massacre of the car accident. From what it looked like, somehow at the four way intersection a car coming in from the north lane (which was the lane Seishirou was on) and another coming from the west (from their perspective, the left lane) had impacted, and the north car had smashed the west car backwards into a building, and it had somehow flipped during the collision. By the looks of things, some other cars had also been intervened in the accident. There were at least three ambulances. Police officers were everywhere in sight now, carefully dictating cars where to go with flashing lights and hand gestures.

Hokuto leant up in her seat and tried to peer out the front window, through the window wipers and the rain. As they neared a police officer, the man made a gesture for Seishirou to continue, and he did, slowly, his amber eyes fixated on the road - not even glancing at the accident. As they continued onward, Hokuto spun in her seat, looking out the back window to get a last look at the cars. "I hope no one was hurt badly," She mumbled, staring sadly at the damage.

"I'm sure someone was killed."

Hokuto snorted. "You can at least pretend you care."

She could practically hear the smile in Seishirou's voice. "Right now, I'm focused on Subaru-kun, not a bunch of lunatics who decided going over the speed limit and running red lights was a good idea."

Hokuto sighed, turned around, and tried to settle more comfortably. She found her seatbelt had tightened to the point where it was up against her throat, and so she undid it and then drew it back to the wall, then brought it back down again. Afterwards she fiddled with her skirt, smoothing out the wrinkles to no true avail since she could hardly see, and then her glassy green eyes were staring back out the window, hoping her brother was alright.

A red hot needle prickled at the back of her throat - she could sense the Sakurazukamori's gaze on her. She tried not to shudder.

"How do you live with it?" Seishirou abruptly asked. "Sleeping together and then – sitting next to me as we drive, here, alone in the dark with no one to see us, and no one to protect you. _What_ exactly are your intentions, Hokuto-chan?"

"Just drive, Seishirou," Hokuto whispered, shutting her eyes tightly.

There was laughter in Seishirou's voice. "Do you think you _love_ me?"

"I don't '_think_', I know."

Seishirou chuckled. "How sweet." Then his voice became somber, dark and cruel. "You want to give me up for dear Subaru-kun?"

Hokuto's eyes thinned. _What a sadist. _"I know my brother loves you. And unlike me, it's almost impossible for him to become close to people; from what I know, you are the only person to _remotely_ catch his interest – and before you say anything denying it –" Hokuto glared and turned to face Seishirou, who had a pleased smile on his face and was still turned to the road. "I know my brother better then you know _yourself._ As for me, they're other chances. I can get over it."

Seishirou's smile never left his face. "Is _that_ so? And you trust me with your brother's fragile heart?"

"Turn left. And…yes."

Seishirou's smile faded as he turned. "We're almost there." Hokuto nodded, hardly as composed as Seishirou was. She stared at the towering buildings, recognization overcoming her countenance. Seishirou's car turned smoothly into a small lane for a single building, squeezed halfway into the open garage, and then came to a complete halt.

Hokuto messily undid the buckle of her seat belt, unlocked the door to the van and then she jumped out of the car, ignoring the pouring rain. "_Subaru_!" Seishirou was soon beside her, and both of them were already sopping wet, but Seishirou had opened up an umbrella (which _kind of_ helped) and handed it to a surprised Hokuto.

Then the Sakurazukamori left the proximity of the umbrella's protection and was wandering over to a bench near a bus stop sign by the highway. "Sei-chan!" Hokuto called, and rushed over, her shoes sloshing in dirt and water as she ran to meet him, her entire body tingling with shivers. It became clearer who was on the bench when she grew closer to it. Seishirou walked around it until he was standing in front of the person on it, who was a shriveling mess of water, soaked clothes and frosted breath.

Seishirou shook his head at Subaru, who looked up at him curiosity, green eyes murky and fogged in the darkness, as he whispered, "S-Seishirou-san?"

"Subaru-kun, why did you wait out here in the rain?"

"I-I was…" He tried to compose his trembles. "G-Going to take the b…bus home…"

Seishirou sighed and smiled in spite of himself, and in one sweep he scooped Subaru up into his arms. The Sumeragi's top hat went flying off and was enraptured by a gust, rolling out onto the road, flipping and then disappearing as it escaped down the street. Subaru felt like a bundle of sodden blankets, and the Sakurazuka shivered when their bodies made contact. Subaru whimpered but didn't protest, he was too cold and exhausted to become flustered. _Probably hungry, too. _Seishirou thought as he secured the Sumeragi in his arms.

Hokuto had finally caught up and her countenance was rebuking. "_Subaru!_ How long have you been waiting out here?!"

"I-I don't know…" Subaru whispered through clattering teeth, and curled up like a kitten in Seishirou's arms.

"Wait until he's in bed with some warm clothes to yell at him." Seishirou said, and Hokuto complied, if only because she was worried. She tilted the umbrella up, attempting to create a roof for them as they trudged back to the car.

She then folded up the umbrella to open up the van's sliding door. It was a good thing the van's seats were leather; it could be easily cleaned. Hokuto moved aside and Seishirou stepped into the car, lying Subaru down on the first row of seats and then stepping back, letting Hokuto scurry in. He shut the door for the two and then went around to the driver's seat, closing the door immediately upon entering. The veterinarian then turned on the small overhead lights, removed his glasses for the second time that day, and flicked on the heating with a single switch. He shrugged off his long jacket and handed it to Hokuto.

Hokuto quickly put it over her brother, who was surprisingly still conscious. His cheeks were flushed, either with embarrassment or with fever, or maybe a combination of the two. Hokuto hoped it was the former.

"A…Are you angry with me, Hokuto-chan?" The onmyoji murmured, his voice pleading and piteously adorable, though soft and far too weak.

Hokuto's lips upturned feebly. "I _should_ be…" She ran a hand through her brother's bangs, tilting the strands away from his face. "…but I'm more worried."

"I-I'm sorry..."

"We'll be at your apartment in a jiffy!" Seishirou announced enthusiastically, startling both the twins. Hokuto rolled her eyes. _A jiffy? Really, Sei-chan, when Subaru and I are acting loving - does that irk you so much? _She grinned and looked down at Subaru, who was smiling also; a tiny, faint smile.

"T-Thank you Seishirou-san…"

"It's no trouble at all, Subaru-kun. Don't think about it; you'll have plenty of time to worry later. Just rest."

Subaru made a weary sound, like a sigh, and his smile crumbled from his face as he entered a stupor. His eyes were the hue of lily pads, glossy and wet in fatigue, and he was still shaking despite his apparent tiredness and the warming temperature of the car. Hokuto hushed him and put the coat over him more fully, adjusting it in places, knowing Seishirou would care very little whether or not it was ruined.

When her brother had fallen asleep, Hokuto then slid down the farthest end of the seat to deal with his shoes – untying their complicated laces and taking them off, flipping them over and putting them on the car floor (their was dirt on the undersides), and then removing each of the thoroughly soaked socks. When her skin made contact with the onmyoji's bare feet she trembled – his flesh was like a plate of ice.

"Is he asleep?" Seishirou asked quietly, still driving.

"Pretty sure." Hokuto replied, just as quietly. "He's _freezing_." Hokuto reached up from the end of the seat, leaning over her brother's body and stretching out her forearm so her hand could graze his face. Boiling hot. She jerked her hand away in automatic reflex. "He has a fever," Her voice practically squeaked in worry.

"We should be there soon."

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By the time they made it back to the apartment building Subaru's fever had worsened considerably. The apartment had no garage and thus they would have to make a short walk in the rain to the front of the building.

Seishirou scooped up Subaru into his arms again and Hokuto stepped aside, holding the umbrella as she tried to make out the shape of Seishirou's dark figure. Subaru resembled a white tortilla with Seishirou's jacket wrapped around him; his limbs were at lax and dangled from Seishirou's hold, like the limbs of a small doll enraptured in a blanket. Hokuto would have found it disgustingly adorable if not for the pouring rain beating down, the freezing wind sending her hair astray and the fact it was so very dark. They made it back to the apartment without incident, Seishirou easily maneuvering in the shadows while Hokuto tried to keep up with him and attempted holding the umbrella over their heads.

She was immensely relieved when they were on the elevator, going up to the 8th story, where her and Subaru's apartments were.

"Your apartment or Subaru-kun's?" Seishirou abruptly asked, causing a jolt to go through Hokuto's body. She stopped twiddling with the soaked fabric of her skirt.

"Um... Subaru's, it's a tad closer." She fished into her pocket, satisfied when she pulled out a jangling string of keys and easily found her brother's. (they were all labeled)

She glanced at Seishirou then, and immediately forgot what she was going to say when she saw the strange, defeated look in his gaze that she had never seen on his countenance before, and was staring aside blankly. He was also slumped against the wall instead of upright, which was an incredibly awkward posture considering how vain he was, how confident and overtly arrogant; how he always stood with his back straight, chin held high and his cocky smirk oozing with egotism. But watching him, staring at nothing at all; his almond eyes distant and dulled; made him look like just another person, just another broken Japanese man in Tokyo.

Hokuto swallowed, and tried to ignore the stabbing pain in her chest that made her feel like crying, or screaming and hugging Seishirou, or kissing him, or _something_ -- "Tired, Sei-chan?" She chirped.

In a blink the expression was gone, so fast she wondered it had even been there, and Hokuto instantly regretted saying anything. Seishirou straightened, and he grinned, coddling Subaru closely. "Not really. Subaru-kun weighs next to nothing, it isn't really tiring. I should get used to carrying him, anyway," And he was smiling like the cat that just got the cream. Hokuto giggled, though it was feeble and half hearted, and she was unsure if she should be happy or disappointed that the illusion was back. Thank Kami he wasn't wearing his silly glasses either.

Subaru stirred, mumbled something completely incoherent, and snuggled up against Seishirou's chest. Hokuto slapped her hand to her mouth to keep herself from laughing, but Seishirou just smirked and hugged Subaru a little bit closer.

The elevator made a cheerful 'ding' to announce their arrival on the appropriate floor, and Hokuto hopped in front of Seishirou, leading the way to the apartment with jovial strides and clattering keys singing high notes. She didn't need to hear Seishirou's steps to know he was behind her; silent and stalking, like the predator he was.

Hokuto brushed away the involuntary shudder that went through her spine and pushed the key into the lock, twisting her wrist with one brisk movement and then opening the door, leading the way inside. It was pitch black in the apartment, so she hopped across the hallway to where she knew instinctively where the light switch was.

She glanced at Seishirou as he managed to maneuver with Subaru and close the door by pushing it with his foot. Hokuto hopped up, her frilly skirt bouncing with her, and locked it.

"Bathroom or bedroom?"

"Naughty!" Hokuto scolded. Seishirou chuckled.

"Only if you want it to be."

Hokuto sighed. "Bedroom. I'll look for a plastic bag to put his wet clothes in."

Seishirou's eyes were alight with something sinister and alluringly mischievous. "Do I get to undress him?"

Hokuto rolled her eyes, glaring. "Yes, but you need to redress him in something warm! Moi! I'm going to look for a bag," And she left Seishirou to flee to the kitchen.

Ignoring the fact that the Sakurazukamori's footsteps hadn't made a single sound signaling his departure to the bedroom, Hokuto dug around the refrigerator, shuffling through plastic containers in apparent annoyance. _Trust Subaru to have a refrigerator full of leftovers. _She thought, appalled and abruptly angry. Her trembling fingers threw the refrigerator door closed and it slapped loudly, causing the tiny mechanism to shudder.

She stood back, fists clenched and jaw tightly locked.

'_Do I get to undress him?'_

She fell forwards, thudding her head against the door, swallowing.

_Don't be stupid, it's stupid to get jealous… I've already dug my grave, anyway… _

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Hokuto managed to find a plastic faster then she thought she would. Quietly she tiptoed to her brother's room, her chest made tight from the knowledge of who she was going to be sneaking around.

Subaru's door was ajar, and from her angle behind one of the walls Hokuto could clearly see her brother on the futon and Seishirou hovering over him. Subaru was conscious, apparently – at least – Hokuto squinted – his eyes were open.

"S…Seishirou-san—" He murmured in that pleading, _devastatingly _petite voice of his. Hokuto then took note to the fact her brother was shirtless. His skin was pale, stark white (nothing she hadn't seen before, seeing how Subaru was her model), and probably coated in goose bumps. He was hugging himself and shuddering. "W…Why are you _undressing _me?" His words were slurred and quiet, weakened, and it took Hokuto a little more than a second to comprehend them. "S-S' cold…"

Seishirou was smiling his friendly, veterinarian smile now that belied his every perverted thought. (_He must be thinking of something perverted_, Hokuto mused angrily.) "Your clothes are soaked through." Without another pause he pushed Subaru backwards onto the futon, laying him down like any doctor would a patient at a check-up. Subaru was as compliant as a feature, too exhausted and dizzy to argue, but he visibly shuddered when Seishirou put his large palms on his bare stomach. "My, Subaru-kun, how do you _get _into these pants? How does he, Hokuto-chan?" Hokuto jumped about five feet in the air, and caught herself before glaring at Seishirou.

"Well!" She said cheerfully, clinically. "Since Subaru doesn't _eat_, it's pretty easy for him to fit into anything."

"I see." Seishirou said. "Subaru-kun, you should eat more." He then commented gravely while looking over the boy.

The onmyoji was quivering like a rabbit – he suddenly gasped a huge swallow of air – and sneezed, his body racking with him, and took a few, slow breathes after before recomposing himself; his eyes wet and miserable from sickness. He tugged insistently at his blanket, wrapping it around his body tightly, shivering. Seshirou pat his hair gently before reaching over and grabbing a folded, long-sleeved shirt that would hopefully keep him warm while not over heating him. "Move the blanket." Subaru looked upset to submit to this command but he did, and Seishirou helped him lean up with the most gentle of patience, and pushed the cloth over his head, helping the boy to fit his limbs into the appropriate holes with some sloppy awkwardness. Hokuto's throat clenched – it was so unfair. Why couldn't they just be _together _already? And how wicked Seishirou was; to act as if he cared when he didn't, _and he had to be in denial of that_, because he only looked at Subaru with _that_ expression, or at least a hint of 'that' expression.

It was a confusing, complex mess of emotions and Hokuto hated it.

And why was her brother so sweet, so dear, that she could never hate him for any stupid thing he did; any ridiculous sacrifice he made or otherwise. Despite being ill Subaru looked like the depiction of a fallen angel wrapped in the blanket; his body so small and fragile looking; like a tiny glass bird that could shatter at the hint of touch.

"S-Sei…shirou-san," He pronounced the words slowly when the Sakurazukamori stole his precious blanket from him, causing the onmyoji to tremble. "Can I have i-it back?" He waved his hand in a piteous attempt of retrieving the item, and Seishirou merely pushed it further out of reach. Subaru made a whining sound; low in his throat and almost a whimper; then stretched forward, and Seishirou pushed him onto his back again with ease.

"Hokuto-chan, could you get his pants?"

"W-wha—" Subaru protested feebly, and waved his arm for the blanket. It rolled awkwardly in its socket, as if it were half numb. It then dropped at his side in defeat.

"I told you already, Subaru-kun, your clothes are soaked."

Hokuto sighed, and walked over to her brother and the Sakurazukamori, kneeling, and then undoing the numerous laces of Subaru's pants. To save him from some embarrassment she held up his boxer shorts while pulling them down, to keep them from sliding off with him. This was nothing new, they'd seen each other naked on numerous occasions; they were twins after all, and it was normalcy; they had nothing to hide from each other. She just didn't want the Sakurazukamori to see Subaru undressed completely, not _yet,_ anyway – and -- Seishirou was right, they were _really_ tight pants.

Once they were down by his knees she let go of his shorts and then frowned while sliding them off the rest of the way. The fabric clung to his skin as if it had been glued to it messily. It was colder and more thoroughly dampened as it reached his ankles, and she noticed his skin was whiter then it should have been, in a sickly pale way. He definitely wouldn't be working for the next week, she'd make of _that_. She could feel her brother shaking and making little wispy gasps as if he were undergoing torture. And he probably was..

"Hmmm," Seishirou said contemplatively, for once taking his eyes off the parts of Subaru's body that were exposed, and placing his large palm on the boy's forehead. "I'd say… 102 fever at least… maybe even 103. Subaru-kun, have you eaten anything?" Hokuto momentarily glanced up, and she wasn't surprised when her brother shook his head horizontally.

Hokuto hopped over to Subaru's closest drawer and swiped out a pair of his warmer pajama pants. No time to worry about fashion right now. She hoped back. With some trouble she got Subaru into the pants; his legs were still and lax and far too hot.

As soon as she did get them on him completely however, he curled up like a caterpillar on its back and hugged his legs to his chest.

She looked up to see Seishirou shaking his head and smiling fondly at the boy, retrieving the blanket, and tossing it over him. Some shuffling noises ensued from inside until Subaru resembled a burrito, his eyes moist and black hair sticking out. He sniffled.

"You're not going to work tomorrow, or the next day, or the next day—" Hokuto prattled, and Subaru's eyes shot up to his sister.

"But H-Hokuto-chan –"

"I'm calling Obaa-chan and I'm telling her you're ill."

"B-But – I have a really important job on Tuesday – and there's school, too –"

Hokuto fumed, and then snapped very silently. "You're not going. That's final."

Subaru countenance was crestfallen, and she would have felt bad if she didn't know she was right. His arm escaped from the bundle of blankets and fabric to drag his pillow over, eyes half-shut and glazed, his cheeks flushed, but not from embarrassment. His health was more important than his work.

"I have to agree with Hokuto-chan. Subaru-kun, do you think you could stay awake a little bit longer to eat something?"

"M'm not hungry…"

"I know, but you need to eat _something_." Seishirou brushed back the black streaks of Subaru's bangs, and then began to stroke the stands gently, his thumb occasionally trailing to curve little circular, sinuous motions against his cheek.

"Yeah, I'll make you some soup!" Hokuto hopped up from her kneeling position like a spring. With that said she fled out of the room, not wanting to linger to watch Seishirou put up his lover's facade.

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Hokuto hummed to herself as she stirred some noodles in a small pot. Give it fifteen minutes or so, and they would be done. Hopefully Subaru wasn't feeling nacious enough to throw them up…

A jolt shot through her body when two arms came around her waist, a taller, stronger body pressed up against her back, a nose nuzzling her hair.

"S-Seishirou – " She began.

"This might be your last chance for awhile," He hummed, not quite cheerfully but more teasingly, cruelly. The sadist was taunting her and she was a masochist. "Hokuto-chan."

It was always their last chance for awhile, every time they touched each other, it was always the last time they would do it, it was always the time Hokuto swore she would never engage herself with the Sakurazukamori again. Every single time. Why did she keep wandering back to him, like an aimless bird among the clouds, too afraid to stray so far from home and remaining in the cold?

She let go of the spoon and Seishirou turned her when she did, taking her by the shoulders and pushing her up against the countertop, the marble an uncomfortable blade digging into her back.

Her eyes glanced up hesitatingly into Seishirou's face; he looked particularly amused, or maybe even curious. It was always impossible to tell; his eyes were too profound and shrouded in blackness; so dark his pupils were barely discernable. She lifted her hand and grazed his face with its palm, feeling the warmth of his skin, smooth as carefully crafted stone under her hand.

He leant forward, and her hand fell away from his face, pushing back until her arm was wrapped around the back of his neck, her digits just grazing his chilled, fine silken hair. Her heart sped up as he neared, like an impending storm, and soon their lips were touching; as gentle as two leaves meeting in the gust. Seishirou didn't force her lips to part, and so the kiss remained innocent in all its simplicity. Hokuto's other arm moved to wrap itself around the back of his neck on its own accord.

Seishirou's body was so… _human_, his touch so warm and human, the only thing really human about him at all.

She broke their butterfly kiss, moving back, tipping her head downwards so he couldn't see the tears glistening in her eyes.

It wasn't right for them to be together. It could never work. There was only one person that captivated Seishirou's interest, and Hokuto wasn't that person.

The only sound was the rain, trickling down transparent windows that gave a view to a gloomy city - rain - pattering - like the minute hand of a clock, ticking,_ ticking_.

"…Would you like me to stay, Hokuto-chan?"

She wanted so badly to say yes.

"…No..." She forced the word out. "It's alright. Just… just leave…"

His smile was audible. "As you wish."

And he was gone.

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A/N II: Sorry peeps. I wrote the very last few paragraphs while being ill, so it's probably garbage. I tried. T . T may revise it/edit later, I probably made some… stupid grammar errors and spelling errors and such… love me anyway?


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